The aim of this project is the demonstration of the therapeutic ability of extracts derived from blowfly larvae to digest necrotic tissue, burn eschar and elastic tissue without harming healthy tissue. Such an agent would lead to more economical management of burn wounds and gangrenous ulcers by reducing the time required for spontaneous debridement prior to wound closure by spontaneous or surgical means. Non-destructive collection of larval secretions provides a crude material which is fractionated by a series of solvent extractions and precipitations into a first fraction possessing digestive ability when tested against synthetic substrates and natural eschar tested in vitro. Further efforts are devoted to further purification and characterization of the extract.